Spreading Random Acts of Kindness

"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul." - Luther Burbank

Flowers have always been part of our celebrations and a way to say congratulations. Receiving flowers makes us happy and that giving flowers makes us even happier. And now the Society of American Florists (SAF) is trying to making a difference in people's everyday lives through their 'Petal it forward' initiative since 2015.

Last week, on October 24th florists in more than 400 cities in all 50 states (as well as D.C.) surprised unsuspecting passersby in their local communities with two free flower bouquets each – one to keep and one to give. I can only imagine the delight and joy on people's faces. This random-acts-of-kindness effort - Petal It Forward - is designed to help people start their day with more smiles and less stress. “Through the positive effects of flowers, we hope to make someone’s day brighter, and provide a much-needed moment of calm amidst the hectic pace of life,” said Jennifer Sparks, SAF’s Vice President of Marketing.

According to a survey by Wakefield Research, 68 percent of people feel stress on a weekly basis, and 32 percent experience stress daily. Research from the University of North Florida (UNF) shows living with flowers significantly reduces stress. The findings show that people who lived with flowers in their homes for just a few days reported a significant decrease in their levels of stress and an improvement in their moods.

Petal It Forward is a great initiative to bring people together. If you missed it this year, be on a look out during your morning commute next year. For more information on the benefits of flowers, visit www.aboutflowers.com.